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The audit has calculated the shortfall in contribution by the power producer to be Rs 15.73 crore. Between April 2011 and March 2013, Sterlite Energy was supposed to contribute Rs 49.35 crore to the fund against which it has paid Rs 33.62 crore.
The office of the central auditor has sought a report from the energy department on power sold by Sterlite Energy outside the state.
The decision to float the environment management fund was mooted in 2006 when 12 independent power producers (IPPs) had signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government. Till date, the state government has signed MoUs with 29 IPPs envisaging a combined power generation capacity of around 37,000 Mw.
As per the state government's policy, the IPPs have to contribute six paise to the fund for every unit of power sold outside the state.
In January 2012, the forest and environment department was designated as the nodal department for managing the environment fund.
Sterlite Energy has commissioned four 600 Mw units of its 2,400 Mw coal-fired power project at Burkhamunda, near Jharsuguda. The IPPs have been allowed to sell surplus power from their projects through the national grid network of Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) after meeting the state share of power to be supplied at variable cost as stipulated in the MoU.
